Ringing mechanism for bells and the like



Feb. 24. 1925. 1,527,341

' F. WUST 4 RINGING MECHANISM FOR BELLS AND LIKE Patented Feb.` 24,1925, y

unirse @sucres .fpN YTENT Noifffrles rnirzws'r, or sELoNcon-Rr, nouns,FRANCE.

RINGING MECHANISM FORBELLS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. December 5, 1922. Serial-No, 605,135.

To all whom t may yconcern:

Be it known that L FRITZ Ws'r, a. citizen of the Swiss Republic, andresident of Seloncourt, Doubs, France, have inventedV a new and usefulRinging Mechanism fior Bells and the like, of which the following is afull, clear, andvexact specification.

This invention relates to power operated ringingmechanisms forbells andthe like of the kind in which the oscillation of `the bell is effectedfrom a continuously driven `shaft through a coupling mechanism f which ni l o] l w n is rendered periodically operative.

According to the present Yinvention "the coiilolingef` mechanism7` afterbeing,` first rendered `operative to commence the ringgingoi:

@the bell is arranged tofbe automatically \r`en-V dered operative andinoperative alternately and periodicallylthrougrh a movable; controllinglever bymeans of al friction disc and band device acting thereupon independence y. of, the oscillatory `movementof the bell so as to"alternately close or loosen the friction jdevicefor the'purpose otactuating the said controlling lever.

,y The employmentof a Jfriction device for this purpose enables therequiredraction to l "be effected moresmothly and quietly than is'possible ,with the toothed rearing4 mechanism` hitherto `employed for.the same purpose. y

Thejinvention is illustrated way of example in the accompanying drawingsot' which- Figure 1 is an `end view of a ringing mechanism embodying oneforni of," the invention,

,Figure 2 being a planviewthereof; Figure 3 isa partialsectional endviewsimilar tol?Figure` 1 but showing the parts of the mechanism in al"different position, y "Figurel illustrates the details of constructionof the coupling mechanism em- ,i Figure lillustrating the details Otconstruction oi' `the `friction device.

, Figure 6`illustrates a modification olithe `mechanism shown in thepreceding .figures `Referring` now `first to Figures 1 to 5 it will besuiiicient-todescribe themechanism for ringing; one bell `only of apair, the

mechanism belonging` to the otherloell being exactly similar` to thatofthe lirst'andthe two mechanisms beingA arranged symmetricallyrelative; to aV central` plane Ah-Bras shown in Figure 2.

AR-igidly secured to alshaft 1 (Figures 1-41) continuously driven, Yforinstance, by an electric motor, is a driving disc 2, a coupling disc 3being loosely mounted onthe shaft 1 asshowii-in Figure L The couplingdisc 3 is provided with a gear wheel 1,1-, adapted to intermesh with alarger` gear wheel `6 mounted upon a counter-shaft The coupling disc 3takes the 'form of a drum to which is attached a pulling` mecha nismortlie bell constituted by an endless i rope or cable which is wound inseveral turns fon the drum 3 and passes overw a wheel mounted on theshaft 'from which the bell is suspended (not shown). coupling disc orhell actuating; drum 3 is en raged with the continuously rotatingdrivingdise Qthe bell receives a driving* impulse causingit tooscillate.

"Thecoupling disc 3 is connected by means ot` a lever` 8 `and a rod 9 toa three-armed lever 11 pivotallv-mounted at 10 the lever 8 being,connected to a sliding-'ring 7 engagnigthe hub oiv the coupling disc orhell actu ating` ,drum A 4friction band 13 is connected to the lever 11and-passes round a 'drum 12 mountedon the counter-shaft 5,

one endA ci the` friction `band 13 being directly .connected to one armof the lever 11, the other end of the band 13 beine` connected A to theopposite arm ot the lever 11 by means of abolt 14C having an adjustablespring 15 4,ger `22 adapted` to engage with the lower end or head of thebolt 14k-(Figures 3 and 5). In order to render the coupling elements 2,3 of themechanism operative to commence the ringing operation a handlever 23 is provided Vwhich ispivoted at 24 and carries a linger 25adapted to engage with a leaf ,spring 26 mounted on a block secured-tothe shaft orpivot of the lever 11.

The operation of the mechanism above described is as follows:-

lBy rotating the hand `lever 23 upwards f to the position shown inFigure 3 the coulilfhen the y pling disc 3 is moved into engagement withthe driving dise 2, owing to the finger 25 engaging with the leaf spring26 and thereby moving the lever 11 to the position shown in Figure 3,and this movement of the lever 11 being transmitted through rod 9 andlever 8 to cause the coupling disc 3 to engage with the rotating drivingdisc 2. The bell then receives its first driving impulse. After thefirst coupling action the coupling elements of the mechanism areautomatically rendered inoperative and operative alternately. At the endof the first impulse, the bell swings by reason of inertia, somewhatover the position of equilibrium corresponding to the operative drivingforce, returning again immediately. At that part of the return strokewhich corresponds to the said overswinging of the bell beyond theposition of equilibrium, the bell acts through the pulling rope or cableand exerts a torque upon the coupling disc 3 which being transmittedthrough the gear l, 6, to the disc 12, results in causing the latter tomove in a direction opposite to that of the arrow a (Figure 1) with theresult that the friction band 13 immediately rocks the controlling lever11 to disconnect the coupling disc 3 from the driving disc 2. During thesubsequent part of the return swing of the bell the driving disc 2 canthus rotate freely within the coupling disc 3. At the completion of thereturn swing of the bell the reversal of its direction of movement willcause in a similar manner a rotational movement of the disc 12 in thedirection of the arrow a, so that the friction band 13 will rock thelever 11 in the opposite direction and cause the re-engagement of thecoupling to give the bell a fresh impulse. The disc 12 and the lever 11thus oscillate to and fro, the disc 12 increasing its angle ofoscillation at each swing, and this action continues with an everincreasing addition to the angle of deflection of the bell, until thebell has attained the normal range of swing. lVhen this condition isreached the cam dis-c 16 cornes into engagement with the cam lever 18,pressing this lever downwards and effecting through the elements 19, 20,21 and the finger 22 (Figures 3 and 5) the downward movement of the bolt14 to loosen the friction band 13 and to rock the lever 11 into theposition corresponding to the release of the coupling elements 2, 3.Under these conditions, that is to say, when the bell is in full swing,the cam disc 16, before arriving at the end of its oscillation during`the driving period acts through the lever 11 to disengage the couplingdisc 3. B varying the angular position of the cam disc 16 the range ofswing of the bell can be varied as desired.

It should be noted that during the driving period with the band V13taut, that is, during the rotation of the disc 12 in the direction ofthe arrow a, the more firmly the coupling elements 2, 3 are inengagement the more the disc 12 through the band 13 tends to move thelever 11 to hold the coupling disc 3 in its coupled position. In thismanner the coupling action is rendered very effective for the motoroperated bell. This certainty of operation can be increased bycompressing the spring 15 by rotating the nuts 27 so as thereby toincrease the grip of the band 13 on the disc or drum 12.

An adjustable stop 28 secured to the lever 11 limits the range ofdeflection of this lever.

In the inoperative position of the mechanism the lever 23 1s turneddown. In

this position a linger 33 carried by the lever 23 engages with a finger34 on the spindle 2O and by means of the finger 22, which is alsosecured to this spindle, maintains the friction band 13 in a loosenedcondition.

The modified arrangement shown in Figure 6 differs from the constructionabove described in that the lever 11 co-operating with the frictiondevice acts through the rod 9 on a lever 30 which serves to tighten adriving belt 31 through which the drive is 1tlransmitted to the drum 32operating the be Instead of a drum operating a pulling mechanism for thebell it is obvious that any other suitable device for effecting theswinging .of the bell may be employed, for instance a gear wheel ortoothed segment with lever gearing leading to the bell. It is alsoobvious that the lever 11, instead of acting on a friction coupling maybe arranged to actuate an electric switch mechanism, for example, forrendering operative and inoperative an electromagnetic coupling.

What I claim is 1. A power operated ringing mechanism for bells and thelike, comprising a continuously driven shaft, an actuating drum for thebell, arranged to be oscillated to and fro, coupling means forinterconnecting said driven shaft and said actuating 1 drum, a frictionband brake device comprising a friction disc connected to said drum, afriction band round said friction disc and a rocking controlling leverto which are connected both ends of said friction band, and operatingmeans to connect said controlling lever with said coupling means, so asto control same according to whether by grip or disengagement in saidbrake device, the controlling lever is rocked in the one or otherdirection.

2. A power operated ringing mechanism for bells and the like, comprisinga continuously driven shaft, an actuating drum for the bell., arrangedto be oscillated to and fro, coupling `means for interconnecb which areconnected botli ends of said friction band, an adjustable spring beinginserted between one of said band ends and said controlling lever, andoperating ineans to connect said controlling lever with said couplingmeans, so as to control saine according to whether by grip ordisengagement in said brake device, the controlling` lever is rocked inthe one or other direction.

3, A power operated ringing mechanism for bells and the like, comprisinga continuously driven shaft, an actuating drum for the bell, arranged tobe oscillated to and fro, coupling means for interconnect ing saiddriven shaft and said actuating drum, a friction band brake devicecomprising a friction disc connected to said drum, a friction band roundsaid friction disc and a rocking controlling lever to which areconnected botli ends of said friction band, operating means to connectsaid controlling lever with said coupling means, and a drive limit caindevice Varranged to cooperate witli said controlling lever so as tocause the disengagement of said friction brake device when the bell hasreached the desired range of swing.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my naine this 21st day ofNovenr ber, 1922, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRITZ VVUST. Witnesses:

AMAND BRAUN, JULIA A. Dinner.`

